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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · squash · drill · bat · mouse · root · rash · bear

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. rash — a series
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. root — of a word
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bear — the animal
  13. suit — to fit
  14. drill — a practice
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bat — the animal
  17. drill — army training
  18. bear — the animal
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. root — of a plant
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. root — the cause

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com